PITTSBURGH, Pa. (April 23, 2006) ? Despite hitting five home runs by five different batters the University of South Florida baseball team (19-22, 8-10 BIG EAST) fell to the Pittsburgh Panthers (17-21, 6-12 BIG EAST), 11-9, on Sunday, April 23 at Trees Field. Gus Fernandez, Kris Howell, Brian Baisley, Matt McHargue and Joey Angelberger each cleared the fence for the Bulls on Sunday. The loss led to a weekend series loss to the Panthers (2-1).
The Bulls tallied 12 hits on the afternoon, including a 3-for-5 performance by McHargue. The USF senior registered a single, double and home run in the contest, scoring one run while driving in another. Howell batted 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored on Sunday. The Tierra Verde, Fla., native not only registered his first home run of the season, but knocked in his fifth double of 2006. Catcher Brian Baisley reached base in three plate appearances on the afternoon, going 2-for-4, including a walk, his third home run of the season and a single. Fernandez, who hit his second first-inning home run of the season, went 1-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored. Angelberger blasted a two-run shot, his third of the season, in a 1-for-4 outing versus the Panthers.
Junior Yuri Higgins allowed four runs on three hits to suffer his third loss of the season. Higgins, who came in for relief of Davis Bilardello in the sixth inning gave up four walks in two innings of action on Sunday. Bilardello, who made his 10 start of the 2006 season, gave up six runs (three earned), striking out three in five innings pitched.
USF jumped out a 2-0 lead with back-to-back home runs by Fernandez and Howell in the top of the first. Pittsburgh answered with five runs in the bottom of the second to take a 5-2 lead. For the second time in the contest, a pair of back-to-back home runs (Baisley and McHargue) by the Bulls gave USF the lead. The Bulls drove in four runs in the top of the third to give USF a 6-5 advantage. USF extended its lead to 9-5 in the top of the fifth, scoring three runs on two hits, including a two-run bomb by Angelberger over the fence in left-center field. A run by the Panthers chipped USF's lead to 9-6 in the bottom of the fifth. USF held the lead until the bottom of the eight when Pitt registered five runs to regain the lead 11-9.
Unable to score any runs in the top of the ninth, USF dropped its 10th BIG EAST Conference game, as well as its third conference series.
USF will host the Stetson Hatters on Tuesday, April 25. First pitch is slated for 7 p.m.
Pittsburgh Panthers 11, South Florida 9 (Apr 23, 2006 at Pittsburgh, PA)
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South Florida....... 204 030 000 - 9 12 3 (19-22, 8-10 BIG EAST)
Pittsburgh Panthers. 050 010 05X - 11 11 1 (17-21, 6-12 BIG EAST)
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Pitchers: South Florida - BILARDELLO; HIGGINS(6); LIRETTE(8). Pittsburgh Panthers - NARDOZZI;
LANDIS(5).
Win-LANDIS(3-1) Loss-HIGGINS(3-3) T-2:51 A-145
HR USF - FERNANDEZ (2); HOWELL (1); B. BAISLEY (3); McHARGUE (2); ANGELBERGER (3).
HR PITT - BUTTON (4).
Game notes:
ID-370795
HIGGINS faced 4 batters in the 8th.
